Artemisia plant named ‘Oriental Limelight’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Artemisia plant named ‘Oriental Limelight’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading, dense and bushy growth habit; good vigor; freely basally branching plant habit; and bright yellow and green variegated leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofArtemisia plant, botanically known as Artemisia vulgaris and referred toby the cultivar named Oriental Limelight.

The new Artemisia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of anunidentified selection of Artemisia vulgaris. The new Artemisia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor within a population of theunidentified selection in Japan in 1991. The new Artemisia was selectedbased on its much brighter variegation and more uniform plant habitcompared to the unidentified selection.

Asexual reproduction of the new Artemisia by terminal cuttings taken ina controlled environment in Cornwall, England, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Artemisia are stable and are reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Artemisia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Oriental Limelight’ anddistinguish ‘Oriental Limelight’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading, dense and bushy growth habit.

2. Good vigor.

3. Freely basally branching plant habit, plants typically do not requirepinching.

4. Bright yellow and green variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Artemisia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Artemisia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three plants of ‘Oriental Limelight’ that were about 2 months old andgrown in a 21.5-cm container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical terminal shoot and upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of‘Oriental Limelight’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., during the late winter andearly spring, under outdoor full-sun conditions with day temperaturesranging from 12 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 12 to 18°C. Plants used were about 2 months old and grown in 21.5-cm containerswith three plants per container. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Artemisia vulgaris cultivar OrientalLimelight.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unidentifiedselection of Artemisia vulgaris, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at temperatures of 23° C.Winter: About 15 days at temperatures of 22° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 28 days at temperatures of 20° C.Winter: About 56 days at temperatures of 18° C.

Root description.—Fleshy, rhizomatous.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Herbaceous; upright and outwardly spreading; denseand bushy growth habit. Suitable for 10 to 25.5-cm containers.

Crop time.—To produce a 10-cm finished flowering plant from rootedcuttings, about 8 weeks are required depending on temperature and lightlevel.

Plant height.—About 32 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 27.5 cm.

Growth rate/vigor.—Moderate to vigorous.

Stem description.—Quantity of lateral branches: Freely branching;typically about 10 per plant; pinching is usually not required. Shootsalso develop from rhizomes. Lateral branch length: About 10 to 40 cm.Lateral branch diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1.25 cm.Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 148C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Quantity: About 14 to 40per lateral branch. Shape: Deeply dissected, typically five dissectedlobes with deep sinuses. Apex: Tri-dentate. Base: Acute. Length: About 6cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Texture: Smooth, lower surface slightlypubescent. Fragrant: Aromatic. Petiole length: About 3.5 cm. Petiolediameter: About 2 mm. Color: Yellow and green variegated; areas of colorare random and irregular in shape and size. Young leaves, upper surface:Irregular patches of 151C, 144A and 137C. Young leaves, lower surface:147D. fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Irregular patches of 147B,147C, 147D and 150D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Irregularpatches of 147and 150D. Petiole: 147C.

Flowering description: Inflorescence development has not been observedon plants of the new Artemisia.

Disease resistance: Disease resistance to pathogens common to Artemisiahas not been documented.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Artemisia plant named ‘Oriental Limelight’, as illustrated and described. 